Freaky Friday
by Poesia-Raro
Summary: Abhijeet and his son Adi just can't seem to get along. What happens when they're suddenly forced to see the world through each other's eyes for one day? CID remake of the Hollywood movie.
1. Chapter 1

**::/Freaky Friday/::**

.

A/N: Before I start, I just want to make a few things quite clear so I don't get grief about them in the review section (I'll get it anyways, but I have to do my bit as an author too).

1. This is not my idea, concept or storyline. I repeat, THIS IS NOT MY IDEA, CONCEPT OR STORYLINE! It's merely the remake of the Hollywood movie _Freaky Friday_ (2003). I absolutely adore that movie, and I figured the storyline would be perfect for a CID-style remake with Abhijeet and Adi in the lead roles. I've only stuck to the movie's basic plot, though, and changed most of the other stuff according to CID.

2. Abhijeet. Need I say more? Of late, almost everyone seems to be taking great delight in pointing out every tiny little negative aspect of Abhijeet that I show and blowing it WAY out of proportion. I only have one thing to ask... why is it that no one is bothered when our big, strong, brave Superman, Senior Inspector Daya, is reduced to a snivelling, over-emotional little crybaby who can't do anything on his own and always needs Abhijeet to rescue him in most of the stories I read nowadays? He is sentimental, I agree, but he is NOT by any means a fool. Nor is he a helpless child. Don't forget this is the same man who plays the piano with criminals' teeth. It's basically like trying to make the Lion King look like Hello Kitty.

I don't see anyone saying a word about such a portrayal of Daya. So why do people get so touchy when I point out Abhijeet's negative aspects, which are very much visible in the actual CID if only everyone would just try to look beyond the blazing halo of so-called perfection that appears to surround him? I don't know when everyone will be ready to accept it, but please face it: He. Is. NOT. A. God. If you want me to portray him as one, then I'm really sorry, but for me he's just a normal human like anyone else. And I fully intend to show him exactly like one. Whoever has a problem... don't worry, there are loads of other stories in this section which will suit your taste much better. :)

3. Please bear in mind that in this story, Adi is just 16. He may be wise and mature beyond his years, but he's still only 16. Just because his life isn't exactly normal, it doesn't mean HE can't be a normal kid. He has mood swings, difficulty in controlling his temper, frustration, rebellion, belligerence and biting sarcasm just like any other teenager. And seeing as how his dad has ALL of these qualities even at this age, it's really no surprise at all. It's just a phase that every teenager goes through, and Adi WILL grow out of it, as you've all observed in my other stories. So I doubt there should be any issues there.

Right, I know you guys haven't come here to read a lecture, so I will now spare you and let you read the story.

Oh, by the way- starring the awesome and adorable Tapasvi Mehta as our one and only Adi. :)

.

/\\/\\/\\

.

What is the greatest and most beautiful miracle in the world? Of course, different people have different answers to this question. A majority, however, agree that it would undoubtedly be the miracle of procreation. Having children is a miracle beyond all else- the creation of a new life is the most profoundly great thing a human is capable of. Indeed, it is even said that a child holds power over virtually everything in the world.

And then there are the teenagers. Not children, not yet adults. It is but natural, therefore, that this is the period marked by a great deal of confusion, frustration, and more often than not, miscommunication. This is the story of one such instance... where miscommunication led to something that was earlier only the stuff of imagination.

"Adi."

Ah, here we go.

"Come on beta, wake up."

"Mmmph," came a muffled noise from beneath a veritable cocoon of blankets, and the top of a tousled dark head made its appearance as Adi moved upwards a little, clutching his pillow around his ears in an attempt to block out his father's voice. Abhijeet shook him gently by the shoulder. "Adi beta, get up now. You don't want to be late."

"Daaaaaaaad," whined Adi, thumping his fist on his bed and kicking his feet belligerently. Abhijeet let out an exasperated sigh, and left the room to go get ready for work. When he returned ten minutes later, Adi was still exactly as he had left him- lying on his stomach with his face buried in the pillow, his hair standing out like spilled ink against the white pillowcase. "Adi," Abhijeet said firmly, giving the sixteen-year-old a vigorous shake. "Up, now. And I mean it, young man!"

Adi mumbled something unintelligible, which nevertheless didn't sound very flattering at all, and Abhijeet glared down at him. "That's it," he proclaimed vehemently, and going around to the foot of the bed, caught hold of his son's ankles and pulled with all his might. Adi was no less, though- he immediately grabbed the headboard of his bed for support, and Abhijeet was forced to give up the attempt after three whole minutes of relentless but pointless pulling.

"My God," he groaned, rubbing his temples, and then suddenly had an idea. Pulling out his mobile phone, he set off a loud alarm ring right next to Adi's ear. Predictably, the boy jumped about a foot in the air with a howl of indignation and tumbled out of bed just as Abhijeet strode out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Adi, hurry up!" he shouted from the hall a little while later as he put his CID badge into his coat pocket. "What? I'm ready!" Adi defended himself with a grin as he came out of his room, fully dressed in his school uniform with his bag slung over his shoulder.

As the car went off down the road, Adi began to fiddle idly with the radio. "Would you please decide on one station?" Abhijeet asked testily, and Adi rolled his eyes and turned the radio off, sweeping his windblown bangs out of his eyes. "Hey, Dad, think I can get my ear pierced?" he questioned, tugging absently on his earlobe, and Abhijeet snorted. "Absolutely not. I for one do _not _want the future ACP of CID Mumbai looking like a little pirate."

"Oh come on, Dad, it's not like I'm gonna be the ACP tomorrow or something!" Adi retorted. "Even if you decide to abdicate, the crown'll go straight to Daya uncle, so I have nothing to worry about for many more years," he added in an undertone, and Abhijeet narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "And there's no need for that muttering, either. Whatever you have to say, say it aloud."

"_Nothing_, Dad!" Adi was thoroughly exasperated by now, but thankfully they had reached his school. Abhijeet pulled over by the side of the road, just outside the school gates, and reached over to fix his son's red-and-gold tie. "You're supposed to do up the collar button before putting the tie on, you know," he informed Adi, and the boy let out a huge, long-suffering sigh before grabbing his bag and getting out of the car. "Bye, Dad," he said shortly, and entered the school as Abhijeet drove off.

No sooner had Adi reached the stairs than he was hailed from behind. Turning, he saw a boy with slightly spiky hair hurrying towards him. "Hey, Kenny," he greeted his best friend, and the latter leaned towards him, speaking in a low voice. "I'd steer clear of our dear Madam Shrieking Shrew if I were you. It's Biology first period, and you know how she is."

"Excellent," said Adi darkly. "Just what I need. To get sent out of class for no reason at all first thing in the morning."

"Who's kicking you out of class?" a girl's voice enquired, and Adi and Kenny turned to see Saara standing nearby, looking quizzically at either of them in turn. "Who do you think?" Kenny asked drily, and Saara groaned. "Oh, gosh. Please don't tell me Shreya ma'am is out to get Adi again."

As it turned out, that was exactly what Ms. Shreya's intention was. "Aditya, dear?" she called across the classroom in her usual supercilious tone, and Adi's shoulders slumped as beside him, Kenny grimaced. "Here it comes," he mumbled as Adi got to his feet. "Yes, ma'am?"

"What is this supposed to be, dear?" she asked in a dangerously sweet tone as he approached her desk. She held up a notebook for him to see, and he looked warily from the book to her. "Um... my Biology homework, ma'am."

Ms. Shreya turned a page, and Adi's jaw fell open as he beheld the ghastly sight of a huge streak of royal-blue ink that extended from the upper margin of the page all the way to the top edge. "Really, dear? It looks more like Art homework to me," she remarked nonchalantly, picking up her red pen and scrawling _'5 marks cut for untidy work'_ beneath the streak of ink even as Adi burst into loud protests. "But ma'am, that ink definitely wasn't there when I handed in my notebook! I checked!"

"Well, now, it certainly couldn't have appeared by magic," Ms. Shreya said cheerfully. "Do your work neatly from now on, or it'll be minus ten marks next time." She pushed his notebook back towards him. As she did so, Adi immediately noticed that the index finger of her left hand was stained with royal-blue ink. His eyes narrowed, but the next second he heard Kenny's voice muttering in his ear. "Don't push it, there's no telling what she'll do next."

"You expect me to just take this quietly?" Adi hissed as they returned to their seats. He was positively seething, his eyes glittering dangerously exactly as his father's did when confronted with a particularly poisonous criminal. "She can't just get away with stuff like this! It's not the first time either, you know. Ever since she became our Biology teacher..."

"I _know_, Boss, but it's not like we can do anything about it either," Kenny said wearily, raking a hand through his hair. "We're CID officers, remember? We need proof!"

At the CID bureau, Senior Inspector Daya was saying the same thing. "We need proof, Abhijeet, we can't just go arresting whoever we like even though we know he's guilty."

"Well, let's look for proof then. Vivek, I believe this is your area?" Abhijeet gestured to the computer, and Vivek's well-practiced hands flew over the keyboard. "Well, sir, the thing is, I have his phone records and bank statements, plus a minor criminal record, but I can find nothing related to this particular case... whoa, wait!" he exclaimed, his hazel eyes widening as he hit upon a link. "Look at _this_."

Abhijeet, Daya, Tasha and Sachin quickly scanned the page Vivek showed them, and Abhijeet looked triumphant. "Brilliant. Let's roll."

Within a few hours, of course, the criminal, blubbering like a baby, was hauled off to jail, and Abhijeet checked his watch. "Right, so I'll go do some grocery shopping before Adi gets home," he remarked to the room at large as he strode briskly out the door. "Hold up, I'm coming with you," called Daya as he hastened to follow.

Meanwhile, the boy in question was accosted by Saara the instant he came downstairs with Kenny after school. Her face was glowing and she was practically bouncing up and down on the spot. "Guess what, you guys!"

"You learned to break doors?" quipped Kenny, smirking at her, and she made a face at him. "I wish. No, take a look at this!" She seized them around the elbows and dragged them over to the notice-board, on which a large, brightly coloured poster was prominently displayed. "There's a huge cultural event scheduled for next month. They're holding band auditions tomorrow, and _our _school band's been registered!" she squealed gleefully, and Adi and Kenny exchanged looks of delighted incredulity. "You're kidding!"

"Nope!" Saara shook her head. "The audition's tomorrow night, at the YMCA mini-auditorium."

Adi did a double take. "Wait, what? Tomorrow night?" The three teenagers exchanged horrorstruck looks as the same thought hit all of them at once. "Tomorrow's the CID awards announcement ceremony!" Kenny exclaimed.

"At which Dad's gonna be officially announced as the new ACP of our branch," Adi reminded him, and flourished his hands in the universal gesture of hopelessness. "We're screwed."

"Oh come on, guys, don't be so negative," Saara said, though her voice was uncertain. "I'll try talking to Papa and maybe he can-" she trailed off at the looks on the boys' faces. "OK, fine, I admit it. You _are _screwed."

Adi slumped against the notice-board, sighing heavily as he looked wistfully at the poster. "Of all the times for Mom to be out of town..." he mumbled under his breath.

Back at home, meanwhile, his father was presently on the phone with the very same lady, who was attacking him with a relentless flow of concerned queries. "How's Adi? Is he eating properly? Does he go to bed on time? I hope he doesn't stay up late watching TV with you-"

"Tarika."

"Speaking of which, how's that headache of yours? I keep telling you to get it checked up, but of course you don't listen to me. And are _you _eating properly? Don't forget your vitamins, I've kept them in the drawer of the bedside table-"

"Tarika..."

"And I'm so, so, _so _sorry I can't be there for the announcement ceremony tomorrow! Please don't hate me, I really can't make it... the conference ends only on Saturday morning and I've booked the earliest available flight, so I'll be home in the afternoon-"

"Dr. Tarika, are you going to let me speak or not?" Abhijeet asked in a long-suffering tone, and his wife fell silent at the other end. "Thank you. So anyways, in answer to your questions... Adi's fine, and we're both eating properly and going to bed on time. My headache is now completely gone, and no, I'm not forgetting my vitamins. And for the last time, _it's OK_. I understand, all right? Your conference is just as important as this, you can't afford to just leave it halfway. You'll be back in time for the official award ceremony on Saturday, anyway, so what's the big deal?"

Tarika let out a small sigh. "I miss my boys, you know. That's kind of a big deal."

Abhijeet's tone softened. "Like we don't miss our favourite girl. In fact, I'm just counting the minutes for you to get home." She laughed in spite of herself, and he smiled. "You take care of yourself, all right?"

"And there you go, stealing my line as always," Tarika retorted with clear amusement in her voice. There was some distant noise in the background. "Listen, I have to go now," she said hastily. "I'll call at night to talk to Adi, all right?"

"OK," Abhijeet said. "Love you."

"Love you," she told him before hanging up. No sooner had the call ended than Abhijeet's phone rang again. It was from an unknown number. Frowning, he picked up. "Senior Inspector Abhijeet here." His frown deepened as he listened. "Oh, really?"

A while later, the house was nearly brought down by a series of hair-raising yelps.

"There you go. He saw it," Daya muttered, and looked down at Saara, who was wincing with her hands over her ears. "Come on, beta, we'd better go check out the cricket match on TV." He hurriedly escorted Saara to the living room, just as Adi's footsteps thundered down the stairs. "Dad!" he bellowed. "Dad, did you see what happened to my-" He broke off, abruptly stopping in his tracks. Abhijeet was sitting at the dining table like a judge, and the look on his face gave Adi a very strong feeling that the verdict wasn't going to be in his favour. Nevertheless, he strode forward determinedly, just as Abhijeet spoke. "I talked to your class teacher."

"What?"

"Just now, on the phone," Abhijeet informed him as he stood at the other end of the table with his hands on his hips. For a moment Abhijeet could barely control his smile- it was like looking into a mirror frozen several decades in the past. He quickly focused on the situation at hand, however. "Where's my door?" Adi demanded.

"Privacy is a privilege, Aditya," Abhijeet said curtly as Adi glowered at him. "_Where's my door_, Dad?"

"Your door will be returned to you, if and when you can explain-" Abhijeet was cut off by Adi's belligerent voice. "I need my door! You give me that door, or... or I will _do _something!"

Abhijeet raised his eyebrows sceptically at his son, and fixed him with a hard stare. "I think we can drop the drama. And maybe you can politely explain to me why you were sent out of class twice today?"

Adi folded his arms. "OK, fine, I was sent out of class. But that was only because Sudeep kept hitting me on the head with a volleyball!"

"When is this ridiculous fight with Sudeep going to end?" Abhijeet asked incredulously, and Adi scowled. "Um, never? Because he's an insane psycho freak? And you'd _know _that, Dad, if you paid like a tiny bit of attention." He made to storm out of the hall, but Abhijeet called sharply after him. "Adi!"

"What?" Adi yelled in frustration, turning on his heel and glaring at his father, whose eyes were glinting dangerously. "I think you know full well that I pay attention, Adi. Enough to know that you got a 15 out of 25, on _Biology _homework today?" The disbelief in his voice was evident in his face, and Adi's heart fairly rankled at this injustice. "Well, Shreya ma'am is totally out to get me," he complained.

"Oh, her too?" Abhijeet asked sardonically. "Yeah," Adi said with vigour. "You know, she just _looks _for ways to torture me! Like today, a huge streak of ink mysteriously appeared in my Biology notebook, and it definitely wasn't there when I-" He was cut off by Abhijeet's scornful snort. "You, beta, have been spending way too much time with Freddy."

_"See?"_ Adi shouted indignantly. "Why do I even bother telling you anything?"

"OK!" Daya said hastily, appearing on the scene like an angel of deliverance. "Why don't we all go out for Chinese?"

Adi let out a snarl and stomped out of the hall. "Everyone's hell-bent on ruining my life! I wish Mom was home!" they heard him yell.

Later, at Wang's Kitchen, their table was unnaturally quiet. Saara was looking uncertainly back and forth between the three males, Abhijeet's jaw was still clenched rigidly, and Adi was staring stonily at the menu. Daya, as was his nature, was making desperate, albeit futile attempts to bring things back to normal. "Adi, your door is in the balcony."

"Like I didn't figure that out, Daya uncle," Adi muttered in reply, and Daya's broad shoulders slumped in defeat as he looked helplessly over at his daughter. Saara shook her head and shrugged, and Daya got to his feet. "I'll just go make a quick phone call," he said, and speedily left the table. As soon as he was gone, Abhijeet looked across the table at his son. "Adi. Do you really think that acting like a wounded tiger will get you what you want?"

The sixteen-year-old glanced at his father and put down the menu, sitting up straight in his chair and stretching his face into a faint smile. "I'm sorry, Dad. I've been stressing a lot in school lately, and I deserved to be sent out of the class. I'm gonna apologise to Sudeep and Shreya ma'am. I guess what I'm trying to say is... I'll try and do better, Dad. I'll really, really try." He flashed his most charming smile, and Saara stifled a giggle.

Abhijeet, however, was undeceived. "OK, what do you want?" he asked, and that was all Adi needed. "To go to this really important band audition that we can never have again. Tomorrow night, at the YMCA mini-auditorium."

"An audition? That's great!" Abhijeet was impressed. "You mean after the awards announcement ceremony?"

"Well... more like _during _the ceremony," Adi said hesitantly. "But-"

"During? You mean 'during' as in 'instead of'?" Abhijeet found himself at a loss for words as he looked at Adi, who was determinedly averting his eyes. "Well, I mean... uh... technically?" the boy said, and Abhijeet rose to his feet. "Adi, I need to talk to you right now."

"I don't think-" Adi muttered, but Abhijeet cut him off, his voice raised. _"Now." _Exchanging a This-is-it-we're-so-dead glance with Saara, Adi got up and followed his father, who steered him towards a quiet part of the room. "Adi, I am going to make one final attempt to try and understand what goes on in your head."

"Don't treat me like a suspect, Dad," Adi said defensively, and Abhijeet stared at him. "I am not doing anything of the kind, I'm being perfectly calm and reasonable here."

"OK, fine!" Adi made an impatient gesture. "They'll select one local school band to play at the National Cultural Fest. We were lucky to even get a slot in the audition. Honestly, it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance, Dad, _please_. Please, why can't I just go? _Please!"_

"And what I'm hearing is that my special night means absolutely nothing to you," Abhijeet stated, and Adi growled and punched the pillar he had been standing against. "I don't even need to ask if my band means anything to you." He stalked off in the direction of the restroom, and Abhijeet followed. "Adi, wait."

_"What?" _Adi exclaimed angrily, spinning around and facing his father squarely with a dark scowl. Abhijeet suppressed his temper with difficulty. "Let's talk about what this is really about, OK? This is about your mother, isn't it."

Adi's face reddened with anger. "Dad, stop _interrogating _me. This has nothing to do with Mom. This is about the audition, which will never happen again!"

"Enough with the drama!" Abhijeet snapped, and sighed. "Adi, teenage life is not that hard."

"Please, Dad. You couldn't last one day in my life," Adi retorted, and Abhijeet was quick to return the favour. "Yes I could, and I'd do it without getting sent out of class!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dad," Adi barked, his eyes blazing now. "Sorry I'm the one thing about you that isn't perfect!"

"Perfect?" Abhijeet couldn't believe his ears, and actually let out an incredulous laugh. "You think I'm _perfect?"_

"I _know _you're perfect," corrected Adi violently. "Your perfect track record, perfect wife, perfect colleagues, perfect fans who worship the ground you walk on-" He was interrupted in mid-flow as Abhijeet caught him by the shoulders. "Seriously, beta, you need a serious reality check if you think _I'm _perfect!"

"Cookie?"

They both turned to see a petite, elderly North-eastern lady smiling at them. They had met her before- she was the mother of the restaurant's owner. She carried a plate, upon which there were two fortune cookies. "Cookies," she repeated brightly, holding the plate out to them. Abhijeet and Adi exchanged furtive looks, and Adi smiled uncertainly back at the old lady. "Uh, aunty, this isn't really a good time..."

"No, now is a good time," she insisted, the strange smile adorning her face all the while. She pointed alternately at Abhijeet and Adi, talking enthusiastically in her native tongue until Adi finally snatched up the cookies. "OK!" he said hastily, and the old lady beamed and walked off. When she was out of earshot, Abhijeet rounded on Adi. "Adi, for one day in our entire lives, the world is not going to revolve around you."

Adi didn't respond, except to give his father a piercing scowl and stride into the men's room, slamming the door behind him. "Adi!" Abhijeet called, knocking sharply on the door, but there was no reply. Both of them leaned against the door on either side of it, and opened their fortune cookies. Unrolling the tiny scroll of paper inside, they read:

"A journey soon begins,

Its prize reflected in another's eyes.

When what you see is what you lack,

Then selfless love will change you back."

No sooner had the words left their mouths than everything around them began to shake violently, the very ground trembling beneath their feet. As quickly as it had come, however, it stopped, and Adi stumbled out of the restroom at once. "You OK?" Abhijeet asked worriedly, and Adi nodded, looking slightly dazed. They hurried back to the table, where their food had just been served. "Did you feel that?" Abhijeet asked Daya as they sat down, and his best friend looked confused. "Feel what?"

"There was an earthquake," Adi said, and Saara looked at him curiously. "No, there wasn't." Adi met his father's gaze across the table, and they exchanged befuddled looks.

That night, as the clock struck twelve, in his sleep Abhijeet rolled over onto his stomach, sprawling haphazardly across his bed, just as in the other room Adi turned over onto his back, sleepily pulling his blanket neatly over himself.

.

/\\/\\/\\

.

A/N: This is only the beginning... the real story begins in the next chapter ;) So please review and tell me what you think so far!

Again, this is NOT my idea or storyline, it's just the remake of _Freaky Friday_. I've used most of the dialogues from the movie, too.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! :) And let me remind you again, this is NOT my idea, it's an actual movie which I'm just rewriting in CID style.

.

/\\/\\/\\

.

The day dawned bright and clear, the sun casting a warm glow over the city as Abhijeet stirred under his blankets.

_6.30 already... Oh, damn, I have to pick up my suit for tonight from the dry-cleaner's... I'll do it on the way home... Hope there isn't any new case today... Ah, well... OK, better get up..._

He opened his eyes blearily, squinting as the sunlight filled them. It took only a brief glimpse of his surroundings for him to awaken fully, staring around in confusion as he slowly sat up.

_Why am I in Adi's room? What happened last night? Oh my God, I have no memory of this... _

As Abhijeet's head reeled in shock, he happened to glance down at himself. Or more accurately, the Deccan Chargers sweatshirt he had on. _This isn't mine... _His eyes fell on his hands- they were smaller, the skin softer and much less weathered-looking. _Those aren't mine... _He reached up and clutched at his hair. It was thicker but less silky, the bangs flopping over his forehead. _That's not mine either... _Frantically, he lifted up the end of his shirt, and gasped in shock as he was greeted by the sight of a completely flat stomach. _That's definitely not mine!_

Jumping out of bed, he went over to the mirror, his heart pounding. Sure enough, it was Adi's reflection staring back at him. He let out a yelp of terror, grabbing his face- or rather, Adi's face- just as Saara came running and stood in the doorway, looking frightened. "Adi, come quick! Abhijeet uncle isn't getting up!"

"I'm not getting up?" Abhijeet blurted out, his voice faint with horror, and hurried after Saara. As he followed her into his own room, she gestured wildly to the figure that lay tangled up in the blankets. "See? He's not moving!"

"My God," breathed Abhijeet, leaning closer and gaping at his own body. "No, wait... it's breathing! I'm not dead," he said in relief, and Saara gave him a bemused look. "What?"

"Oh, um... right..." Abhijeet was flustered. "His... his chest is moving, beta, see?" He pointed, and Saara glanced briefly at the sleeping figure before looking back up at Abhijeet curiously. "Did you just call me 'beta'?"

Abhijeet could have kicked himself. Saara tilted her head suspiciously at him. "Are you sick?" she asked, and Abhijeet swallowed. "I hope so... or dreaming, or..." he trailed off. "Beta- I mean, Saara- go get breakfast. You can eat Adi's cornflakes- um, I mean, my cornflakes."

"OK," Saara said, and flounced out of the room. As soon as she was gone, Abhijeet leaned over his body again, prodding tentatively at his shoulder. "Hello in there? Wake up, beta... wake up... _wake up!_ Oh, that is it!" he growled, and went around to the edge of the bed, seizing his ankles and pulling. Adi reflexively caught hold of the headboard, and Abhijeet, finding it much more difficult to pull his own weight with Adi's strength than vice versa, dropped him almost at once. Adi got out of bed, scowling. "Could I just have like one minute to actually wake up, please!" he barked, as Abhijeet approached him warily. "Beta... I think something's happened to us."

Adi's eyes- or rather, Abhijeet's eyes- widened, his jaw dropping as he saw what appeared to be his own clone staring back at him. "What _are _you?" he asked in a horrified whisper, backing away slowly as Abhijeet held up his hands, trying to calm him down. "It's me. Dad."

"You're not my dad!" Adi exclaimed in disbelief, looking his own body up and down. "Yes, I am," Abhijeet said slowly and emphatically, and Adi glared at him. "Get away, you clone freak!" he shouted defensively, and Abhijeet flared up at once. "Don't you use that tone with me!" he ordered, pointing an angry finger at his son, who goggled back at him. "Oh my God, you _are _my dad," he said in an incredulous voice, and Abhijeet's tone grew apprehensive. "And you're not who you think you are," he told Adi, who took one look down at himself and dashed straight to the mirror. His mouth fell open once again as he saw his father's reflection gaping back at him, and he let out a loud gasp. "Look at me!"

"I know," Abhijeet agreed, coming up behind him. "We seem to be inside each oth-" He was cut off by Adi's agonised exclamation. "I'm _old!"_

"Excuse me?" Abhijeet demanded, giving his son a highly affronted look as Adi howled in despair, clutching his face- or rather, Abhijeet's face. "Oh, I'm like a clean-shaven _Dumbledore!"_

"All right, that's enough!" Abhijeet said loudly as Adi turned to stare at him. Both of them burst into identical shrieks of horror. Adi was nearly hysterical. "I want my body back!"

"And I don't want mine? My promotion's tomorrow!" Abhijeet realised what he had just said, and smacked a hand against his head in alarm. "My God, my promotion's tomorrow."

Adi looked thunderstruck. "Whoa... I can't become the ACP, no way!"

"OK, OK, OK," Abhijeet muttered frantically, turning and sitting down agitatedly on the bed. "OK what?" Adi demanded, and Abhijeet's shoulders slumped. "I have no idea."

(A/N: When I say Abhijeet, it means Abhijeet in Adi's body, and vice versa, remember!)

"Right... um, so..." Adi ran a hand through his hair. "You're in my body, and I'm in your body. Why don't we like..." he smacked his hands together, and Abhijeet caught on at once. "Yes... yes, I see what you're saying... a jolt!" he said excitedly, and jumped to his feet. "All right, you go over there and I'll go over here," he told Adi, and the two of them went to opposite sides of the room. "Now when I say go..." Abhijeet said, and Adi nodded urgently. "Go!"

Both of them dashed towards each other and collided spectacularly, crashing to the floor just as Saara appeared in the doorway. "OK, that was stupid," Abhijeet groaned as they slowly sat up, wincing. "Saara!" Abhijeet exclaimed, and Adi raised his eyebrows at her. "What do you want, Suckerpunch?" he asked impatiently. Saara stared back and forth between father and son, and it was clear from her face that she was completely lost. Adi made a go-away gesture towards her, and she promptly raced off. Abhijeet glared at him as both of them scrambled to their feet. "You cannot talk to her like that, she thinks you're her uncle!"

"Well, we're going to have to tell her sometime," Adi said, shrugging, and Abhijeet shook his head violently. "Oh, no. We're not gonna tell her. We're not gonna tell anyone. They'll think we're crazy!"

Adi made a doubtful face. "Maybe we _are _crazy," he speculated, and Abhijeet folded his arms defensively. "I for one am not crazy. I'm merely a grown man trapped in my son's body." Adi blinked at him, and Abhijeet grimaced. "My God. I _am _crazy."

They tiptoed out of the room, peering around the edge of the wall. Daya and Saara were setting the table for breakfast. "OK, Daya's still Daya, and Saara's still Saara," muttered Abhijeet.

"So it's just us... what did _we _do wrong?" Adi hissed, just as Daya nearly tripped over a chair leg. "Whoops!" he exclaimed, hastily grabbing the table to steady himself. Saara giggled. "Good thing you didn't fall, Papa, or the neighbours would have thought there's an earthquake!"

_"Earthquake?!"_ Abhijeet and Adi gasped in unison, exchanging wild glances of comprehension. "At Wang's Kitchen!" Abhijeet said, and Adi nodded. "Nobody felt it but us!" he added in a whisper as Daya approached them. "Daya uncle!" Adi blurted out reflexively, and Abhijeet stood on his foot as Daya stared up at Adi, bewildered. "Abhijeet, did you just call me 'uncle'? And why aren't you guys ready yet?"

"Right, um, Dad," Abhijeet said, giving Adi a fake smile and tugging insistently on his hand. "Guess you better hurry up!" He grabbed his son's hand and dragged him back into his room before the latter could protest. "The earthquake, and Nabu's crazy mother pointing at me, then pointing at you..." Abhijeet reeled off as he paced around the room. "Yeah, and what was she talking about?" Adi asked, and Abhijeet frowned thoughtfully. "She did something... some sort of magic or whatever."

"Well, what do we do now?" Adi asked hopelessly. "I can't go to school like _this!"_ He gestured ruefully to his father's body.

"You have to," Abhijeet said at once. "You're practically on the verge of suspension, Adi. _And _you have your volleyball finals today."

Adi smiled and leaned back against the pillows, stretching. "And I'm going to play volleyball in this condition, eh?" he asked, smirking as he prodded his stomach. Abhijeet narrowed his eyes at him, but a thought occurred to him the next minute. "Of course, I _could _go to school and play in the finals for you... I'm sure it'd be quite simple for me."

"Are you kidding, Dad?" Adi was incredulous. "You think you can be me?"

"Of course I can," Abhijeet retorted. "Watch me." He adopted a whiny, childish tone. "Oh, everyone's out to get me, you're ruining my life!" He folded his arms just as Adi got to his feet defensively. "Well, it's easy to be you... I'll just suck the fun out of everything!"

"I do not suck the fun out of everything..."

"Fun sucker!"

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" Abhijeet snapped. "All right. I will go to school, and you will stay right- oh no," he groaned, running a rueful hand through his hair. "Chandu."

"What? Who's Chandu?" demanded Adi, and Abhijeet sighed. "My best informer. He's supposed to come to the bureau today." An idea suddenly hit him. "Maybe just my face would do..." he said, reaching up, and Adi jumped back in horror. "No! No way. _No _way Dad! I am not interrogating some forty-year-old secret agent. I mean, what am I supposed to say to the guy?"

"Nothing!" Abhijeet said, accompanying it with a forceful gesture. "You are in no way to delegate any kind of dangerous task to anyone. That would be unethical. Just listen attentively, nod occasionally, and if you must speak, just ask 'The information is confirmed, right?'"

"You're serious," Adi stated, looking incredulous at the realisation. "You- you really want us to be each other?"

"Well..." Abhijeet hesitated for a minute, and then his tone grew resolute. "We will get through this morning as each other, and then we'll go back to the restaurant at lunch and get switched back, OK? Now go get dressed," he said, giving his son a small push, and Adi turned and smirked at his father. "Well, good luck getting dressed without a door, Dad."

Abhijeet glowered darkly at him as he sailed out of the room.

Shortly afterwards, as Daya's car went off down the road, Abhijeet sat in the back with his chin in his hand, Adi up front next to Daya. Next to Abhijeet, Saara was fidgeting with her school bag. "Saara, could you settle down, please?" he asked tiredly, and reached over to poke Adi in the shoulder. "Feet down," he hissed, and Adi shot him a scowl over his shoulder as he lowered his feet. "Excuse me." He turned back to the front, his voice pointedly loud. "And while I'm apologising, let me just say to the whole car how truly sorry I am for being such a control freak all the time."

"Oh, you're not controlling, _Dad_," Abhijeet was quick to retort from the back. "I'm the one who should be apologising for my complete disregard for anyone's feelings but my own."

"Well, at least you have a great sense of style," Adi returned, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Not like me."

"Enough!" Abhijeet whispered fiercely as Adi hit upon a major discovery- his father's credit card. "Cool," he murmured, and Abhijeet's eyes widened in alarm. "Don't even _think _about it!" he growled in his son's ear. Daya looked befuddled. "Am I supposed to follow this?" he questioned, and Adi smiled weakly at him. "Oh, it's nothing... uh, yaar."

Daya grinned at him. "One more day," he reminded, and Adi winced inwardly. "Y-yeah... It's... _great _I'm becoming ACP, isn't it? Even though our ACP Pradyuman died. How quickly I've been able to get over it."

"Just pull up here," Abhijeet told Daya, and turned to Adi. "Dad, out of the car." Daya stopped outside the school, and Abhijeet pulled Adi out, dragging him a little distance away from the car. "You hold your tongue, all right? If you manage to alienate Daya in my body-"

"OK, OK," Adi held up his hands defensively, and Abhijeet let out a sigh. "Thank God your mother's out of town, or else you'd have to-"

Adi gave him an appalled look. "Dad, please, I just had breakfast. That's my _mother _you're talking about. I'd _kill _myself if-"

"All right, listen. I want you back here at 12.15 sharp," Abhijeet said brusquely, checking Adi's watch, and Adi rolled his eyes. "OK, OK."

"Is that a tone? Are you using a tone with me?" barked Abhijeet, and Adi groaned. "Whatever, Dad! Bye!" With that, he turned and went back into the car just as Saara got down. Abhijeet went ahead, smiling as he approached Sudeep. "Hi, Sudeep!" he said brightly, and Sudeep grinned back at him just a little too broadly. "Hey, Adi!" he greeted, and leaned forward, apparently intending to give Abhijeet a hug. It came as a rude shock, therefore, when the boy grabbed the end of Abhijeet's uniform sweater and pulled it up over his head, sending him flailing and staggering blindly around.

Predictably, he went crashing into a row of bicycles parked nearby and fell flat on his back, and Sudeep's eyes widened in horror. "Run," he commanded his friends, and they all scurried away just as two other people grabbed Abhijeet's hands and pulled him up. "Are you okay, Adi?" Saara asked worriedly as Kenny dusted Abhijeet off. "I am appalled that Sudeep would do something like that," Abhijeet said angrily, and Kenny rolled his eyes. "Yeah, real shocker." He made an impatient gesture as he and Saara led Abhijeet away from there.

Adi, meanwhile, was accompanying his uncle to the CID bureau. It was lucky for him that Daya wasn't in a particularly chatty mood that morning, so there wasn't much opportunity for any careless slip-ups on Adi's part. "So do you need a ride home later or will you be picking up your car from the mechanic's?" Daya questioned as they got down, and Adi stretched his father's face into an evil grin of anticipation. "Oh, I will definitely be picking up my car. In fact..." he checked Abhijeet's watch. "I think I'll just rush over and pick it up right now. It's not far anyway."

"OK, but don't get too late, you don't wanna set a bad example to the juniors," Daya warned him, and Adi was gone before he could blink. On his way to the garage, Adi caught sight of a certain row of shops which made him stop abruptly. Pulling his father's wallet out of his pocket, he smirked. "Well, as long as I'm in this sucky situation, I might as well use it to my advantage." He strode into the nearest shop with a spring in his step that no one had seen on Abhijeet in quite a while.

When Adi returned to the CID bureau, the effect was immediate. Tasha literally fell off her chair, her mouth agape and her already big eyes the size of chocolate coins. Vivek was too stunned to even blink, let alone notice that his wife was sprawled on the floor beside him. Sachin and Purvi bore identical expressions of pure, unadulterated amazement, and poor Rajat, who had only come in that morning to pass on some information from the high command, looked thoroughly dumbfounded. "Uh... sir? Is... is that _you?"_ he asked, his voice faint. In fact, he himself looked ready to faint from sheer shock any minute.

Adi smiled back at his favourite- and only- maternal uncle, barely able to conceal his glee at the effect he had produced. "Yup." The general reaction of the team was making him exceedingly proud of his work. Abhijeet's precious, beautiful, painstakingly combed hair was now falling casually over his forehead, and he had on a brand-new coat of black synthetic leather. The purple shirt he wore underneath was almost half undone, the collar let out over the coat. On his feet were original black Converse sneakers that looked as new as everything else, and to top it all off, as a crowning glory, there was a small silver ring in his left ear, a narrow hoop that clung closely to his earlobe. In short, he looked about as much of an ACP as Sir Mick Jagger.

While the officers were still blinking at Adi in astonishment, Abhijeet's phone rang. "Senior Inspector Abhijeet speaking," he said carefully, and the next second made a revolted face. "Root canal? That's not fair, they're not my teeth. No, no. No, I'm cancelling. Like I'm gonna take that bullet. Please." He hung up, just as a middle-aged man in dingy clothes entered the bureau, looking rather nervous. He was dark and rather shifty-looking, with drooping yet shrewd round eyes and a wide mouth. He gave a start as Adi turned to him. "Oh! Sir. You're here," he said, astonishment mingled with wariness flashing across his face. "I couldn't recognise you!"

"Whatever, Chintu," Adi said with an impatient wave of his hand, and the man gaped at him, blinking his heavy-lidded eyes in shock. "My name's Chandu!" he exclaimed, and Adi winced. "Oops. Yeah. Chandu."

In school, meanwhile, it was Biology class, and Abhijeet was frowning to himself as he watched Ms. Shreya. "Shreya... hmm, Shreya... where have I seen her before?" he muttered thoughtfully, and Kenny gave him a look. "Like every day in this torture chamber?"

The lady in question, meanwhile, was strolling around with a disconcertingly cheerful expression. "Today, my darlings, is a lovely day... for an oral test!" she announced as a collective groan went around the classroom. "All of you should have finished reading the chapter on genetics by now. I'm going to ask each of you one question, and you'll be graded according to your answer."

"Thank God it's genetics," Abhijeet said in relief to Kenny. "I once helped with the analysis of a DNA-" he broke off abruptly, realising his error, and hastened to cover up. "I mean, I know about genetics."

"Like that'll help you," Kenny remarked drily, and Abhijeet looked curiously at him as Ms. Shreya called upon a boy in the front row. "Nitin. What is heredity?"

"Well, uh, heredity... it's like getting stuff from your parents. You know, their characteristics and stuff?" Nitin said uncertainly, and Ms. Shreya prompted him. "You mean the passing of..." Nitin nodded. "Traits..." Ms. Shreya continued, and Nitin's nodding developed into headbanging, as though he were listening to rock music rather than a Biology definition. "...From parents to offspring," Ms. Shreya finished for him testily, and Nitin beamed. "Yup. Exactly."

"Very good," said Ms. Shreya. "You get a 'B'." Nitin grinned broadly, and Ms. Shreya's sharp eyes fell on Abhijeet. "Aditya."

"Yes, ma'am," Abhijeet sat up straight, and Ms. Shreya folded her arms. "What is the function of DNA?"

Abhijeet was quick to answer. "Well, it's primarily an informational molecule that contains genetic instructions for the development and functioning of living organisms, and the information the DNA contains is held in genes which transmit genetic information, like biological traits and characteristics." He finished with a winning smile, and Ms. Shreya's face twitched for a second before her nose turned up. "That... is seriously overreaching. D," she said primly, and Abhijeet's jaw dropped nearly down to his lap as beside him, Kenny winced and patted him ruefully on the shoulder. "Told you."

However, we all know where Adi got his relentless fighting spirit from, and as soon as class was over, Abhijeet grabbed Adi's bag and marched towards Ms. Shreya's desk. "Ma'am, can I talk to you?"

"I think that would be fairly pointless, but go ahead," she replied with a careless gesture, and Abhijeet fixed her with an icy stare. "On what basis did- I mean... how could I, like, get a D?" he wanted to know. "I mean, what mistakes did I make?"

"Grading is subjective, Adi," Ms. Shreya informed him, and Abhijeet's eyebrows flipped up towards his hairline. "That was a professional definition."

"And you're qualified to make that statement?" she asked acidly, and Abhijeet folded his arms, glaring down at her. "As a matter of fact, I most certainly am."

"Well, my grade is final," Ms. Shreya retorted, and Abhijeet was about to return it with a venomous retort of his own when a sudden realisation hit him and his eyes widened. "Wait. You're the same Ms. Shreya who was once a witness in a kidnapping case, aren't you?"

The Biology teacher looked thunderstruck. "How- how do you know that?" she asked weakly, and Abhijeet pounced like a beast of prey, just as he would with any suspect. "Well, you asked me- I mean, you asked my dad out when your case was over, and he turned you down!"

Ms. Shreya's face was turning steadily redder, and in the doorway, Kenny's face was growing more and more incredulously delighted as he looked at either of them in turn. "This isn't something you're supposed to be discussing with-" Ms. Shreya sputtered, looking thoroughly flustered, but Abhijeet ploughed on ruthlessly. "And now you're taking it out on his son, aren't you? _Aren't _you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," the lady protested feebly, and Abhijeet scoffed. "Oh, please. You didn't even _know _him. And it's been almost eighteen years, you've got to let it go and move on, for heaven's sake!"

Kenny clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter, and Abhijeet leaned forward, resting his hands on the edge of the table and narrowing his eyes at Ms. Shreya. "And I'm sure the school board would love to hear about your pathetic vendetta against an innocent student." He turned and went towards the door, but paused and looked back at Ms. Shreya, who was goggling at him. "Oh, and by the way, Shreya ma'am? He was engaged. And you were a _suspect_."

Leaving her with a facial expression that bore a striking resemblance to a fish, Abhijeet slung Adi's bag over his shoulder and strode out of the classroom, followed by Kenny, who had finally given up all attempts at self-control and was now almost doubled over, clutching his stomach as he howled with laughter. "That... was... bloody... _priceless!"_

Abhijeet grinned at him. "I don't think Ms. Shreya will be giving me much trouble anymore, do you?" Kenny shook his head with a wink before going off to find Saara, and Abhijeet went out to the school gate. His momentary euphoria at trouncing Ms. Shreya was, however, soon replaced by a veritable heart attack as his car pulled up in front of him, and Adi leaned out of the window with a broad grin. "Hi, Dad." His new earring glinted in the sunlight.

"What have you _done _to me?!" Abhijeet screamed.

.

/\\/\\/\\

.

A/N: Hehe :D So how did you find it? I hope I don't have to abandon this halfway, so please review and let me know how many people really want me to continue!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Nice to see how many people want me to continue ^_^ So here it is, as promised. Last chapter. :)

.

/\\/\\/\\

.

"What have you _done _to me?!" Abhijeet screamed.

"Cool, na?" Adi grinned appreciatively at himself in the rear-view mirror, and Abhijeet glared daggers at him. "Get out of the car right now!"

Adi raised his eyebrows up at his father. "Do you have a licence?"

"Well, no," Abhijeet admitted, and Adi smirked and gestured pointedly to the passenger seat beside him. Abhijeet huffed indignantly and got into the car beside his son, barely having time to put on his seat belt before Adi zoomed off down the road.

"My hair. It's a disaster!" exclaimed Abhijeet, gaping at the hairstyle- or lack thereof- that Adi had given him. "And what is _this?" _He caught Adi's ear, looking scandalised. "What have you done to my ear?"

"Dad, please, it's just an earring."

"Take it out. Take it out _right now!_"

"No, it looks cool," Adi retorted, but Abhijeet wasn't finished. "And those clothes are going back first thing in the morning!" he said emphatically. Adi looked bemused. "Why? Everyone likes them, you look like a rockstar."

(A/N: He looks like a what? *wink wink nudge nudge* Sorry, I couldn't help it! :D)

"I look like a gangster," Abhijeet corrected, and his eyes widened in horror as he grabbed the steering wheel. "Watch the road, Aditya!"

Ten minutes later, they entered Wang's Kitchen, where Nabu was standing by the reception desk. He beamed upon seeing them. "Hi! Back so soon? Hey, nice new look for you, ACP sir, you look cool! Two for lunch?" he asked brightly, and Abhijeet came straight to the point, putting his hands on his hips. "No, Nabu, we'd like to speak to you about something that we think happened to us at _your _restaurant."

"Yeah, something that sucks!" Adi interjected with feeling, and Nabu's eyes widened as he looked back and forth between the two. "Let me handle this," Abhijeet said to Adi in a low voice, and turned back to Nabu. "When we woke up this morning, we weren't... ourselves," he said, indicating himself and Adi, who glowered at Nabu. It was all the more intimidating considering the fact that he presently had his father's face. "Yeah!"

Nabu looked positively thunderstruck by now. "Maa!" he called, his voice high with anxiety, and his mother came into view, smiling nervously. "Did you give them the fortune cookie?" demanded Nabu.

_"You should have heard them going at it!"_ the old lady defended herself, and Nabu glared at her. _"That's not up to you, you can't interfere in people's lives like this!"_

Abhijeet and Adi glanced alternately at either of them in confusion, as the two were speaking in their native tongue. "What did she say?" Abhijeet asked, and Nabu simpered. "Aheh heh! She's crazy."

_"Someday they'll thank me,"_ his mother told him happily, and Nabu's voice lowered to a fierce growl. _"I don't think so, Mrs. Smarty-Pants! He's becoming the ACP tomorrow!"_

The old lady looked shocked. _"Nobody tells me anything around here!"_ she complained despairingly, and walked off in a huff. "Well?" Adi demanded. Nabu laughed nervously. "Ha ha... she doesn't know what you're talking about! No idea. OK, let's have lunch, come on, let's eat..." he beckoned, and Abhijeet stepped forward threateningly, Adi at his heels. "Oh, I think you know exactly what we're talking about."

"Dad, let's hit him," Adi suggested fiercely, and Nabu trembled and paled visibly. "OK, OK..." he gave them a helpless look. "I can't fix it. Only you can. When the fortune comes true, then you'll go back, not before."

"What fortune?" asked Abhijeet, and Nabu replied in an exasperated tone. "From the fortune cookie! You find the answer in each other. And when the fortune comes true, you change back. No big deal!" he said in what he obviously thought was a soothing tone. It had, however, quite the opposite effect.

"You mean we're like _stuck _in this suckfest?" Adi yelled.

"You can't do _anything?"_ Abhijeet exclaimed in dismay, and Adi shot Nabu one of Abhijeet's most spine-chilling glares before grabbing his father by the arm and marching him out of the restaurant. "So what did that fortune say?" Abhijeet asked, and Adi gave him a look. "Like I remember!" he exclaimed.

"I don't remember either," Abhijeet said hopelessly, and Adi stamped his foot. "I _hate _this! I don't wanna become ACP at sixteen! It's not even legal!" His shoulders slumped. "I want my room back, I want my friends, and I want Mom to be my _mom! _Papa," he said, his voice cracking as he leaned his head miserably on his father's shoulder. Abhijeet himself looked upset as he patted Adi on the back. "I know, beta, it's a hard day... it's OK, we'll get through it, beta. Breathe? Deep breaths. We'll go home and we'll find the fortune, and then-"

"Dad!" Adi interrupted him, his voice panicky. "Lunch break's almost over!"

Abhijeet's eyes immediately flew to Adi's watch. Sure enough, he had exactly ten minutes to get back to school without being suspended. "OK, calm down." He took Adi's face- which normally was his own face- in his hands. "You go back to the bureau, all right? I will go to school and play in your volleyball finals, and everything will be okay. OK? Let's go," he said, and strode off before Adi could say anything.

Twenty minutes later, Abhijeet was heading towards the sports ground, dressed in Adi's red-and-gold sports uniform. Sudeep, strutting past in his green-and-silver one, smirked at him. "Good luck losing," he said superciliously, and Abhijeet stepped up to him. "Sudeep, come here, I want to talk to you."

He took Sudeep aside, and faced him squarely. "Why this falling out?" he asked, his tone full of sincerity. "We were good friends until the seventh grade. But I know I became involved with my music, and you became involved with your cricket, but why does this have to be World War 3? I mean, all those years of playing and studying together. Don't you remember any of it? I know I do. I mean, how do you feel about that?"

The shrill sound of a whistle pierced the ear, and Sudeep smiled at Abhijeet as all the boys moved to the ground. "All the best," he said cheerfully, and Abhijeet beamed as Sudeep went ahead to join his teammates. "Communication. That's all it takes," he murmured, quite pleased with himself as he hurried over to his own team.

As the match progressed, Abhijeet caught Sudeep's eye. The latter grinned pleasantly at him, and Abhijeet was just about to return it with a smile of his own when Sudeep whacked the volleyball straight at him, where it bounced neatly off his head.

Needless to say, that efficiently shattered any last remnants of a good impression of Sudeep that Abhijeet might still have had.

.

"Adi, where do I even begin?" Abhijeet said, pacing around the room. "Could it be your career-killing behaviour, your non-stop partying with my car and wallet, or perhaps my body's makeover from hell?" He shouted the last words, but there was no response from his son. "Are you listening to a word I'm saying?" demanded Abhijeet, just as Adi appeared, dressed in his father's suit. "And take that cheap ring out of my ear!" Abhijeet barked.

Adi merely smiled as he took out the earring. "Dad, can I make like a special CID team with Saara and Kenny?"

His father gave him a scandalised look. "Not in the official CID team's ACP's body, you can't!"

Adi huffed as Abhijeet grabbed a wet comb and began to attack his hair. "Well, what am I supposed to do in the official CID team's ACP's body, anyway? Go to this thing tonight, be you... OK, that's today. What about tomorrow, Dad? I really, really don't want to become the ACP at the age of sixteen!"

Abhijeet let out a small sigh as he kept the comb aside. "Well, I don't think you're all that thrilled about me becoming ACP either, Adi."

Adi remained silent, and Abhijeet took a deep breath. _"Why? _Why can't we just talk about this?" he wanted to know. "I mean, what is it about me that you think is wrong for the position?"

"Nothing's wrong with you, you're fine," Adi insisted stubbornly, and a sad understanding flashed in Abhijeet's eyes. "But I'm not your grandfather."

"Dad, look, I really don't wanna talk about this right now." Adi's voice was flat all of a sudden, and Abhijeet reached out and took his son by the shoulders, turning him to face him. "Time is running out, beta, _please _tell me."

"Dad." Adi shrugged off his father's hands. "Do what you want. Become ACP. Just don't make me do it, OK?" He left the room before Abhijeet could reply, and the latter stared after him for a minute before sighing and following.

Twenty minutes later, at the venue of the ceremony, Abhijeet sidled up to Adi, tugging on his arm. "I've got the fortune. Can you get away?" he hissed in his son's ear, and Adi grimaced. "Oh, I'd love to. It's just that I'm meeting thousands of 100-year-old people."

"Those are the ACPs of the Pune and Kolhapur branches," Abhijeet growled under his breath, and smiled at the elderly gentlemen. "Doesn't make them any less old," Adi retorted in an undertone, and Abhijeet cleared his throat and spoke up politely. "Excuse me, sirs, could I borrow my father for just a minute, please?"

"Sure." They gestured for him to go ahead, and Abhijeet caught Adi by the crook of his elbow and steered him to a quiet end of the room. Pulling the rolled-up piece of paper from the pocket of Adi's jacket, he opened it and read the fortune aloud. "A journey soon begins, its prize reflected in another's eyes. OK, that was the switch."

"Let me see." Adi snatched the paper and narrowed his eyes at it. "OK, blah blah blah... lack, then selfless love will change you back." He looked up from the paper to meet Abhijeet's eyes. "Oh, great, then we're stuck like this forever."

"Now is not a moment for your negativity," Abhijeet cut in sharply. "Let's try to be selfless. Give me your hands." Adi slipped his hands into his father's, and both of them closed their eyes and concentrated. "OK, I'm being selfless. Are you being selfless?" enquired Abhijeet. "Yeah, I'm being selfless," Adi told him.

"Well, you're not doing a very good job of it, because we're still here!" Abhijeet said through clenched teeth, and Adi opened his eyes and glared at his father. "Oh, so now it's my fault, right? Why is everything always my-" he caught sight of the doorway, and gasped. "Uh-oh. Daya uncle's here. He'll come up and start talking to me now... Dad, what am I gonna do?" He turned, only to find that his father had vanished. _"Dad?"_ he hissed frantically.

Abhijeet couldn't reply- he was presently being dragged out of the room through a side entrance by Kenny and Varun, one of the other boys from Adi's band. Abhijeet was making very loud noises of protest, which were muffled by Kenny's hand. "Shh! Don't yell. Just listen to us," he said, and removed his hand as Varun spoke. "We're just one street away from the YMCA," he informed Abhijeet.

"Just tell them you're going to the restroom, come with us and do the song. You'll be back before anyone knows you're gone!" Kenny urged, and Abhijeet stared at either of them in horror. "I can't!"

"Look, I tried to learn your guitar solo, and I _suck_," Varun said emphatically. "Two other bands have already played, and they both flopped. We might have a chance if you just come with us."

"No, no, no..." Abhijeet was highly flustered by now. "When I say I can't, you don't know the half of it."

"Adi, don't make me-" Kenny began threateningly, but was cut off by a familiar voice from behind him. "What's going on here?" Daya demanded, and all of them spun around to see him standing before them with a questioning frown on his face. Saara was clinging to her father's arm, her eyes wide with wariness as Adi came hurrying over, looking thunderstruck. "You guys!" he exclaimed, and Daya raised his eyebrows curiously at him. "Any idea what this is all about?"

"Well," Adi said, his voice way too casual, "I think they're trying to get Adi to go with them to a band audition at the YMCA, which of course had to be tonight. But I said no, he can't go."

"Look, Abhijeet uncle... Daya uncle," Kenny added, looking beseechingly at either of them in turn. "I'm really sorry, but... can't we just borrow Adi for like, twenty minutes?"

"We'll never ask you or anybody for anything ever again," Varun pleaded.

"I clearly said-" Abhijeet burst out, but was interrupted by Daya. "Go." The senior inspector's voice was firm. "What are you still doing here? Go, right now."

"Thank you, Daya uncle, thank you so much! You're the best!" Kenny yelled in delight, beaming like a 100-mega-watt bulb as he grabbed Abhijeet's wrist and hurried off. "Daya sir, you _rock!" _Varun gushed enthusiastically before dashing off gleefully after them, just as Daya turned to Adi. "Now what are _you _still doing here?"

"What?" Adi was too shocked for words. Daya gave him an impatient look. "Come on, Abhijeet. You should be over there. That's where you want to be, cheering him on. That's where Tarika would be, and want you to be too, if she was here now. Go on, yaar, I can handle it here for twenty minutes." He smiled his brilliant smile. "Wish Adi luck for me."

As Adi goggled at his uncle, Saara suddenly stepped forward and gave him a quick hug. "And give him that from me, will you?" she asked, looking up at him. Adi got a strange, warm feeling in his chest as he stared down into her shining eyes, but quickly pulled himself together and rushed off.

Backstage at the YMCA mini-auditorium, poor Abhijeet was fumbling with Adi's guitar. Kenny, who already looked nervous, came over. "Adi, what are you doing? What's wrong?"

"I can't do this!" Abhijeet blurted out, sounding close to tears. "Since when do you get nervous?" Kenny asked in surprise, and Abhijeet shook his head. "I really, really can't," he insisted, and Varun came over to fix the guitar. "Come on, Adi, you rock harder than anyone I know."

"I think the rocking may be in short supply tonight, guys," Abhijeet said weakly, and Kenny frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I'm... I'm just... not myself," Abhijeet stuttered, and Kenny sighed. "Adi. Look, I know you're stressing, OK? We all are. And I know that maybe it won't be brilliant. But we'll forgive each other for that. We'll find some way to laugh about it later. Right now, I just really want us to take this shot, OK?"

"Yeah, you're still our bro, even if it flops," Varun agreed. The earnest faces of the two boys was too much for Abhijeet, and he sighed. "OK, OK. I'll try."

"Cool, let's fix your hair," Kenny said, stepping forward. Meanwhile, Adi hurried into the auditorium, reaching the front just as the band came onstage. He could see Abhijeet practically trembling as the song started, Varun's voice filling the air. "I'll have to do something," he muttered to himself, and dashed out of sight. Abhijeet, meanwhile, tried to give the guitar a strum, but only ended up wincing as static noise resounded through the auditorium. He took a few steps back and hurried backstage, colliding headlong with Adi as the latter came running up to him. "What are you doing?" Adi exclaimed.

"I can't do this!" Abhijeet babbled. "That was horrifying!"

"No, no, it's OK, Dad!" Adi hastened to reassure his father. "I unplugged your guitar, just go back out there and fake it!"

"I don't even know how to do that!"

"Come on, Dad, you can't tell me you've never seen a rock concert in your life!" Adi said desperately, and Abhijeet bit his lip. "Well, um, I've seen the movie _Rockstar_..."

(A/N: TEE HEE! Sorry! :D :D)

"OK, great! Just go out there and act like Ranbir!" Adi instructed, and Abhijeet nodded fervently. "Ranbir. Right."

"_Kapoor_, Dad!" wailed Adi in frustration, and Abhijeet grinned weakly. "I knew that!"

"OK, just go act like Ranbir!" Adi ordered. "Act like Ranbir, right," Abhijeet muttered frantically to himself, but was seized by a sudden doubt. "Not the... behaviour?" he asked warily, and Adi groaned. "No, just the playing! Now get out there, your solo's coming!" he said, shoving his father out onto the stage. Abhijeet tentatively began to strum the guitar, and all of a sudden music rang out, the flawless notes filling the air as the entire auditorium cheered.

Abhijeet threw an astonished glance over his shoulder to see Adi standing backstage with a guitar of his own, his fingers merely a blur as he played the tune. Turning back to the audience, Abhijeet grinned and proceeded to, as Adi had instructed, merely finger the guitar in time to Adi's music. The song ended, nearly bringing down the house along with it, and Abhijeet made several bows before turning and beaming at Adi, who grinned broadly back at him.

"It's a little early, but I think you guys are definitely in," said one of the audition judges once everyone had gotten off the stage, and Kenny gave Abhijeet a huge, gleeful hug before turning to the others. The next minute, Abhijeet felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to meet Adi's apprehensive gaze. "Well?" Adi demanded, and Abhijeet smiled brightly. "Yes!" he said delightedly, giving his son a tight hug. "That was terrifying, I had no idea what it takes. I mean, the guts," he told Adi. "It's exciting, your music."

"It's not noise?" asked Adi with a grin, and Abhijeet shook his head. "Most definitely not noise!" No sooner had he said that, however, than his eyes widened in alarm. "Oh my God. The ceremony!"

"Let's roll," Adi said immediately, grabbing his father's hand as they both raced out of the auditorium.

"There they are," Saara said with relief as she saw Abhijeet and Adi enter the hall in which the award ceremony was taking place. Daya waved to them, and Abhijeet bit his lip and turned to Adi, who frowned at the look on his father's- or rather, his- face. "Dad, what's wrong?"

"I have to ask you to do something for me," Abhijeet told him, his voice shaking slightly but determined. "Sure, Dad, whatever. I mean, after what you just did for me? Anything," Adi promised his father, and Abhijeet took a deep breath. "Clearly, we're not switching back tonight. I need you to announce that you need to postpone my promotion."

Adi did a double take. "What?" he whispered in shock, and Abhijeet took his son by the shoulders. "No, listen. I can see you're not ready for this. And I can wait. I guess I was just so excited, I wasn't thinking about what's best for you and your mother." Adi could see his wet eyes glistening even in the dim light of the hall. "But Dad..."

"If I really do deserve this- if your grandfather feels I deserve this-" Abhijeet averted his eyes as his voice broke, but collected himself with difficulty and faced his son. "He'll understand. They'll all understand. Daya especially. He'll be very supportive and decent about it. And so will your mother... but please." His tears were threatening to spill over now. "Please, just let her know that I love her. And what I'm doing, I'm doing for her and for you. Be as nice as you possibly can. For me."

"OK, Dad." Adi's voice was soft. "I know exactly what to say."

"I'll be along in a minute," Abhijeet said, patting his son on the shoulder before Adi walked away with a decisive air just as Abhijeet's name was announced. Ascending the stage to loud applause, he tentatively tapped the mike to test it before speaking. "Um, good evening. I'd like to, um, say something. A while ago, we lost someone very special. Someone whose name will live forever, even after we're all gone too. ACP Pradyuman."

The room fell silent as Adi paused, a shadow flickering briefly across his face. "And I didn't think we'd ever be able to get over it. But then, I was asked to fill the position he left empty. It was always my dream, one I never thought would actually come true. But I was still worried about my family... my colleagues, my wife and my son, Adi. And... And now I know how Adi feels."

He met his father's stunned gaze across the room, and now spoke directly to him. "And what he feels is that no one could ever take the place of ACP Pradyuman. Because he was really the best... and I mean _the best _ACP the CID could ever ask for," he said, his voice almost cracking for a second before he quickly composed himself, even as Abhijeet gave him a tearful smile.

"But somebody could," Adi continued, "give the position a new meaning. Give the CID team the fresh start they deserve. Lead them with the hope that wherever ACP Pradyuman is, he's watching over them." He glanced back at his father, who was now crying in earnest. "Adi really wanted his dad to know that."

"I love you," Abhijeet mouthed at his son, smiling through the tears that were dripping unchecked down his face, and Adi grinned back at his father.

A split second later, the room began to shake violently. Gasps and panicked exclamations filled the hall, and Abhijeet and Adi felt violent tugs at their chests, as though something was being pulled right out of them. This was followed, almost immediately, by a feeling akin to being thrown violently against a wall. Abhijeet looked down at himself- he was immaculately dressed in a suit and his hands were bigger, the skin darker and much more weathered-looking. Across the room, Adi stared down at his shirt, jacket and jeans, feeling his own thick mop of hair with one hand and his stomach with the other- it was perfectly flat once again. He looked up incredulously to see his father, his own father exactly as he remembered him, staring back at him with his expression reflecting the same amazement that he felt.

As their gazes met, however, both their faces split into identical, delighted grins. "And I am so thrilled to be here!" Adi declared gleefully as everyone's heads turned in his direction. He cleared his throat consciously as Kenny and Saara smirked at him, and stepped forward. "I guess what I'm trying to say is... Dad, you're going to be a brilliant ACP." He started to clap, and the whole room got to its feet, bursting into applause as Abhijeet got down from the stage, blushing scarlet and smiling sheepishly.

He blushed all the way to the roots of his hair the next evening, however, grinning from ear to ear as he received his new badge that officially identified him as the ACP. Daya was laughing with sheer delight, Vivek, Tasha and Dr. Niyati cheering, Freddy practically crying with joy and Rajat, Sachin and Purvi applauding madly. Saara and Kenny were cheering their guts out, little Vinithra bouncing happily up and down on the spot even though she was too young to actually understand what all the fuss was about.

Amidst all of them, Tarika stood beaming like the rising sun. Adi, by her side, was grinning his head off as Abhijeet came over to them. "Well?" he asked, his voice teasing, and Tarika and Adi laughed. "I suppose I'll have to start getting used to calling you ACP Abhijeet now," Tarika quipped, and the next second she was pulled away by an excited Tasha and Purvi. They dragged her over to join Manisha, who was standing with Rajat's wife, Gayatri.

Abhijeet looked at Adi, who was smiling at him, and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you. For everything," he said quietly as they broke apart. "You're the best," Adi told him, and Abhijeet grinned. "You too."

Adi hugged him again, and over his father's shoulder he saw Saara. She was standing nearby, looking angelic in a white lace party dress with a blue sash. Abhijeet followed his son's gaze, and gave him a knowing smile. "Go," he said, giving Adi a small push.

The boy headed over to Saara just as Tarika returned to Abhijeet's side. "So, did anything happen while I was gone?" she asked, and Abhijeet glanced over at Adi, who gave him an innocent look and shrugged nonchalantly. Turning to meet Tarika's questioning gaze, Abhijeet smiled at her as he slipped an arm around her waist. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

**~THE END~**

.

/\\/\\/\\

.

A/N: PHEW! Finally! That's over and done with! Don't get me wrong, I loved writing this, but honestly, remakes are much more difficult than original stories, believe me. Please review and let me know what you thought!

Oh, and I already dropped a hint about my other story in this chapter. So wait and watch for that too. ;)


End file.
